The visit follows a 2009 trip to Bangladesh organized by the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) that included MDCH Laboratory Director, Dr. Frances Pouch Downes, to assess the infrastructure, capabilities and capacities of the public health laboratory system there.

"The MDCH Bureau of Laboratories is honored to be chosen to host this delegation," said Dr. Downes. "By sharing our expertise and experience in providing public health laboratory services to the people of Michigan, we hope to assist in developing a vital public health laboratory system in Bangladesh."

The U.S. public health laboratory network is a model disease surveillance system that has advanced in parallel with the disease investigation activities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since the 1950s, this system has been involved in international and national health issues, including polio and smallpox eradication, influenza outbreaks and SARS. The visit by the MOHFW Secretary and his delegation will provide insights into the functions, operation and management of a major U.S. public health laboratory and its role within the national laboratory system.

The Association of Public Health Laboratories is a national non-profit located in Silver Spring, MD, that is dedicated to working with members to strengthen governmental laboratories with a public health mandate. By promoting effective programs and public policy, APHL strives to provide public health laboratories with the resources and infrastructure needed to protect the health of US residents and to prevent and control disease globally.